Economic sustainability: what should it be?

Many speak of ‘economic sustainability ’ but few define what they mean. On a finite world with biophysical limits, what should it mean? Firstly, it must be based on ecological reality and limits. It must acknowledge human dependence on nature and the environmental crisis caused by ignoring this. It must move past denial of our problems, as you don’t solve problems you deny exist. The paper analyses the underlying assumptions of neoclassical economics, and their failing to be based on ecological reality. It then considers what economic sustainability should be and considers immediate first steps, and the path to first a green economy and then a steady state economy